Welcome to Magazine Monday and day one of Holiday Cards & More Week! As I mentioned last Friday, we’ve once again teamed up with Cath and her Moxie Fab World blog to celebrate our latest and greatest special issue: Holiday Cards & More, Volume 4!

On sale tomorrow, this festive magazine features nearly 300 holiday projects for everyone on your list. And since Christmas is only 123 days away (yikes!), we know you need to get started on those holiday cards. This year we added more pages to the cards section, so you now have over 100 designs to jumpstart your imagination!

Each day this week we’ll be spotlighting projects from this merry magazine, as well as giving away some fantastic prizes (including free issues of Holiday Cards & More!). As always, make sure you check back with us for our grand Freebie Friday giveaway.

Between now and Friday, you can buy HCM, Vol. 4 for 10% off. Click on the magazine image to reserve your copy today!

Today we’ll be spotlighting the talented Jennifer Beason, who is the creator of the gorgeous nutcracker that appears on the cover. Can you believe this is her first published project in Paper Crafts?! When we first set eyes on this little piece of holiday heaven, we just knew it had to appear in THIS magazine. And truthfully, it wasn’t hard to pick it as one of our three cover projects. Who wouldn’t want this jovial little guy in their home around the holidays?

So without further ado, let’s get to know Jennifer Beason!

Jennifer Beason

1. Where did you grow up?

I grew up in England and then moved to Florida with my family when I was 16.

2. Do you work outside the home? If so, what do you do?

No, I’m lucky enough to be a stay-at-home mom.

3. If a movie were to be made of your life, who would you cast to play the part of you?

I’d have to say my kids. After my daughter was born, I began scrapbooking all of the photos I had taken of her. I then started making cards, and now I’m doing altered projects as well.

7.What is your biggest paper crafting challenge?

Not having enough time!!!

8. If you were only allowed two items to create a card beside cardstock and adhesive, what would they be?

A knife and patterned paper.

9. What is your favorite occasion or holiday to paper craft and why?

I love to decorate my home at Christmas time with things that I’ve made. I also enjoy making gifts for my friends and family. Christmas is the perfect time for homemade gifts.

Jennifer's Festive Nutcracker can be found on p. 133 of Holiday Cards & More.

10. How would you describe your style?

Playful and fun!

11.When is your favorite time to craft?

Late at night… when the family is asleep.

12. What sort of music do you listen to while crafting?

Anything soft and mellow – Sade, Madeleine Peyroux and Melody Gardot are some of my favorites.

13. How does your family participate in your paper crafting passion?

They give me great ideas, especially the kids. Both of my younger kids enjoy making crafts, so I have a specific area in my craft room just for them. We are now able to work together.

14. When it comes to calls and deadlines, how do you keep yourself organized?

I have one of those huge desk calendars hanging up in my craft room. I write down all the calls that I want to try out, along with all my assignments. This way I can see at a glance what’s due and when.

15. Do you remember what Paper Crafts issue your first project appeared in? How has your style changed since then?

My nutcracker was the first to be published in your magazine. My style really hasn’t changed much. However, I’m consistently trying to improve my technique.

16. Have you contributed to any design teams in the past or present? If so, which ones?

18.Do you have any advice/tips for someone who’s never been published or who wants to submit for the first time?

Just go for it! What you create may be just what the magazine is looking for. You won’t know unless you try.

19. What was the inspiration for your nutcracker that appears in Holiday Cards and More? How long did it take you to create it? Any tips for people who want to recreate it?

The patterned paper was actually the inspiration for the piece. I was planning to make something different. Then the pattern in one of the papers started to look like a beard to me. I had the nutcracker laying around, so I started playing around with it. It took me a while to make, over the course of several days, and between other projects. One tip I would offer is to try and avoid covering large areas of the nutcracker with paper all at once. Use small sections of patterned paper instead.

20. Do you have a blog or online gallery? If so, please provide the URL.

Thanks, Jennifer! Our friends at Pink Paislee were nice enough to donate three sets of their Tinsel Town collection – the same collection Jennifer used to create her nutcracker above. Please leave a comment below and I’ll pick three random winners to receive this collection, plus a copy of Holiday Cards & More, Volume 4. All comments must be received bymidnight (MST) on Tuesday, August 25.

Three lucky winners will take home this holiday-infused prize package!

P.S. Because I’m feeling so jolly, I just had to share a couple more projects from the home decor section of Holiday Cards & More. It looks like hot pink and lime green are going to be the “it” colors this holiday season!

Davinie Fiero's All Hearts Come Home Frame (p. 132)

Claire Brennan's Christmas Tree (p. 135)

Are visions of sugar plums dancing in your head? If not, head on over to Moxie Fab World for some more holiday inspiration. And make sure you check back with us tomorrow as Jennifer spotlights the gifts section of Holiday Cards & More, Volume 4!

Oh My GOSH! That is an AMAZING nutcracker. My kids would die if I made something like that. They love nutcrackers. In fact, they just got our giant one out and set it in the living room. Do you think it’s a bit EARLY?

That nutcracker is certainly cover material–fantastic! and so creative! Jennifer’s interview continues to encourage those of us who have never been published–just go for it! Thanks for the introduction–and the encouragement! ~k

WOW!!! What a stunning creation. Thank you so much for introducing me to Jennifer…I’ve just checked out her blog for the first time and am in awe of her creativity. I’ll definately be adding her to my Google Reader.

I am in awe–Jennifer’s nutcraker is a work of art. I love everything about it and so would my daughter who collects them. I just added Jennifer’s blog to my favorites and will definitely be admiring her work for a long time. I also enjoyed the other sneak peaks and am so excited about the newest magazine hitting the news stands tomorrow. Thank you for the opportunity to win such an amazing prize package.

Wow – great inspiration for the holidays. The pink and lime colors are perfect for our South Florida holidays. Thanks Jennifer for the terrific nutcracker! Can’t wait to hit the store tomorrow for my copy of this year’s Holiday Cards.

I can’t believe that it is her first time to be published in your magazine. I am sure it will not be her last! 🙂 That nutcracker is unbelievably cute and I can’t wait to get my copy to see it better up close. Love the giveaway. Thanks!

Wow, amazing nutcracker! I love the non-traditional colour scheme – who knew pink could look so great in a Christmas project?! The Christmas tree by Claire is very cute also. Thanks for giving us a sneak peek of the mag.

oh man, I’m so excited to start working on christmas stuff!!!! i’d love to win this package – it would totally help me with ideas. I’ve never done home made decorating but after seeing that cover I definately want to try!!

I’m trying so hard to get into a Halloween and Christmas mood, but it’s still so HOT and monsoon humid here in the desert, that’s it’s really hard. Maybe your posts will help (I know some Christmas giveaways would)!!! LOL!!!

All I can saw is WOW!! I am in awe of how clever and beautiful this nutcracker is. Can’t wait to see it in more detail when I pick up the magazine. I also love that beautiful Christmas tree that Claire Brennan made. Fantastic! Thanks for the peeks!

This is by far the most beautiful Christmas decoration that I have seen a long time. My DD would love it, as she collects nutcrackers. I’d love to win this and “attempt” to make one myself for her! Thanks for sharing!!

I loved “meeting” Jennifer Beason, and the Tinsel Town collection is great. I love the color combination of pink and green. The nutcracker is really beautiful.
Thanks for sharing your creativity with us!

I’ve been following Jen’s work for the past year and she is simply amazing!!! I was thrilled to see that her nutcracker made the front cover, she totally deserves the accolades! I have a feeling we’ll be seeing more from her.

Wow! I so cannot wait to get my hands on this issue of Holiday Cards and More. This is my favorite time of year to be crafting and seeing all the sneak peeks from this issue has me more excited than ever…………

(I won earlier in the month so don’t count this comment as an entry…I just HAD to comment, though) That nucracker! Oh my GOSH! I seriously thought it was a prop it’s SO AWESOME! OMG!!!! In.cred.i.ble!!!! Seriously jaw-dropping kind of incredible! Wow. Wow. Wow! I look forward to seeing more of this issue AND more from Jennifer. Have I said Wow enough?! 🙂 I think not! WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Congratulations Jennifer!! I have followed your blog for the past couple of months and your work is awesome! It has even inspired me to purchase a birdhouse to alter. I love love love your work. Again congratulations

This is so incredibly beautiful! I can’t believe this is her first published works and it gets the front cover. Congrats to her and to you for finding this young lady with great talent!! I can’t wait for this issue to come out so I can start my Christmas crafty projects!

[…] us today, make sure to read all of our festive posts this week. From our spotlight on cover girl Jennifer Beason to getting gifty to celebrating the seasons with Wendy Johnson and dressing the tree with […]